Lotto luck in Woodley shop

Harvey Gill and Aruna Bhatti at the Londis store in Hudson Road, Woodley, where they have had their second lottery winner in the last three years.

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There's a-Lotto luck in a small corner of Woodley after a convenience store sold its second winning jackpot ticket in three years.

Gossip has been spreading around the suburban streets after Londis in Hudson Road revealed a lucky local scooped £500,000 in the Thunderball draw.

The publicity shy winner won the top prize in the summer but has chosen not to reveal his identity, instead allowing the National Lottery to promote the store’s winning streak with a poster detailing the win on the till.

Shop owner Harvey Gill said: “People have been asking me who the winner is but I won’t say.

“The guy is a regular customer.

“One day he came in the shop, pointed at the [announcement] poster and said it was him. It’s fantastic – we are so happy for him.”

Mr Gill said the loyal shopper would buy a ticket every week.

Entrants of the Thunderball draw, attempt to predict five numbers drawn from one to 39, plus the all important Thunderball – numbered from one to 14.

The odds of winning the maximum £500,000 prize is more than one in eight million.

“People are saying this is a very lucky shop,” Mr Gill added. “Three years ago a customer won £250,000 here.”

Mr Gill has been running the store for the last six years and is loving life in Woodley.

“There are a lot of good people around here,” he said. “The customers are very nice and they create a friendly atmosphere.”

A National Lottery spokesman said: “It is fantastic to hear that this store has created a couple of big winners.

“The National Lottery creates more than four million winners every week and Lottery luck can be anywhere – however, maybe there is something in the water in Woodley.”

The Thunderball draw has taken place since 1999, with the jackpot doubling from £250,000 to £500,000 in 2010.